Mechanism for distributing articles upon a traveling assembling carrier



April 25, 1933. 5 PURlNTON 1,905,056

MECHANISM FOR DISTRIBUTING ARTICLES UPON A TRAVELING ASSEMBLING CARRIERFiled Dec. 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1. 42 w lnvenTor.

ForresT G. Purin'To-n bywwlw A TTys.

I April 25, 1933. PURMON 1,905,056

MECHANISM FOR DISTRIBUTING ARTICLES UPON A TRAVELING ASSEMBLING CARRIER-Filed Dec. 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenTor.

For resT G. PurinTon byw Anya.

. 2D upolithe, carrier.

Patented Apr. 25, 1933 ronnnsm G; mmm'moiv, or wemnnunmcenmlcwrcum;A'ssmriomyes mm-lemme] M BUTTON'GQMPANY,OF1WATEBBURYfCONNQCfIIQUT, Acpnrommxoucmicomgncmi;

gum

IEQBANISKIOR mmwm mms vkro w A rennin-e lissmmmm l l 1 1 Lp glieetiepfiled ne ee r This.v invention relates to impm m nt in machines forassembling e, multiplicity qf articles ,in"narrow1y spaced rela ion andpreielfablyin like pesit iens lipon a traveling Barrier; 1 T, Morespecifically the, 'i'nventiQnflc mptises certain improvement$ 1 inmachines fof lthe type disclosed in my fpriiojr. applieagqions" SerialNumber 1 53,5, 12, filed; December 9, 1926,

10 for Machins fqf asembhngend coating a multiplicity of articles," andSerialjNumber assembling and conyeyingemachi eij V 'Machines. ofthistype comprise a hopper, the bottom Ofwhich consists; in whole or inpart, of a traveling endless carrier halving means to engageandnassembl'e upon theeerrier articles taken from a mass ofsueh artielesclepositedi the hgpper. enlcl restipg 230,654, filed November 2,1927,for rpiele As disclosed in such applicatlen jjhe means f r-engaging thearticles comprise recesses adapted to receive only such, artgifeles asare, presented to the recesses in aflprede etermi'ned "position; othatlthe articles contained in such recesses are. presented with likefaces uppermost. In;the operation of suchmaehines ir'equently'not allofthe recesses iof the. traveling carrierare filled. v

The principal object: of the presentiinvention is to provide mechanismfor spreading articles, from the mass 0f articleswithin file hopper,upon theltraveling carrier infspeh a manner as more eempletely to'fillall 'of ,the reciesses in the, ceirief; orj ifotherartiIeengagingemeans are provided to insuref'en; gagementof thearticles, with all or substantially 511 of sueh'article-engaging' mearis,, jf

ventie n byproviding spreading means epepable tmengagfe theimassfof ar is i k h article-engaging means.

A, filrther ob'eet of thefinirenjigieh ijs'fo provide yieldable meansfer suppejrting the spreading means which will per it the spreadingmeans to accommodate; itself to in "as applied to all assembliiigmg-ehine; fef th type l sedmy prie iel pli tifi the .vary ii epthfbf the-mass; (if-ma les? in the hopper asfsaigl mass is -depleted by'thealetionef theiraxieIifigicaljrieli; A flirther'ebiect efthe'inventi niisjtof-pro f] positiohqlflttfelee inte fih fielii dfeliiei ltieii bfthe spreadingmeapflthereby further in e Pe Sub t n a ly. a l" o rtle-engagithe inventien will inere "fully 'pppear fr'oih the followingfdeseriptifdn 'and the -acceitipet flying drawiilgsfand'f bepqrticiilelily peinte d out in theel'a im :5 '1 T Thep eii invenwi ,nwseedwe pa rtitul al ly designed fer 'aisls embli ng f 1T n af hi e" 'ill lif t in he d a ing comprises upiiglits' lfbi ebflwlgi 'sqillulstm edupon w ichism o'uln di e-zfiamlebmpris g; sid m b r' flii ng-"sp pf, a dds nd 4f isingf refitoml *a-fnii' 1 0 -"'iconnecting girders supportinga hopper V f The. travelihgcarrier, which is illustrated, comprises anendlessconveyor 7 the upper f lead ofwhichpform's: thetbottom'ofthecarrier, Thei-endless conveyor is mounted upon suitable roller's'8" and 9,1 the shafts 10" and i j ll offwhich are journalled insuitablebeab" ingsismonnted uponxthefside members. 2605; Itheisupp'ortin frame; 10

Any Isuitab e means, may be -fprovided for driving the endless carrier7. As illustrated hereinythe endlesscarrier is actuated by asprocketchain orbelt"12 driven from' anyi suitable source of power, whichengages a; sprocket-Wheel or pulley lfi fixedly secured thefshaitll. 2 1

' :EIThe assembling carrier prefer-red f iorm illustrated herein,tomprise fan endrow-1y separated, recesses (see Fig' .'3 ),whichareiprovided with countersunk annular; portions 14 leaving an upwardlyextending; cenjyless -belt; of heavy leather 1 or "othersuitable mater aeupp r gra -t urface- "wh h is provided with. closely uxtaposed, nar;

tralfjportion -"l5 Whichrdesirably is provided w th avcen i ap t e 16 tp ve t recesses, from being held therein by suction,'

7 tion sSerial.gNumberr230,654 tof permit'ithe articles such 3 buttons;17, deposited; in the and Tvvhich may also be'. employed as in theconstructions disclosed in]v my prior applica utilization-"eta blast letan as dislo'dging the artic1estherefrom v.

vInltheoper'atitm-ofthe'machiiieamass {of buttons, or other articles,isdeposited 'the,hopp'er which -is; supporteddn "an ill-- 2 jclinedposition sothat tliemass of articles 1 rests; upon thefupper lead. ofthe traveling carrier at'the lower portion oftheihopper.

moves lengthwise; to .theleft', as illustrated As. the upper leadof thetraveling carrier I E in Figgi", sucharticlesasare presented with theconcave faces downward willleiitel and w t 'bewhollyenclosedwithinthefrecesses, hile 7 "4 a i i vex -faces downflvvill notffit within, the reces'ses and will be discharged therefrom-duly anyarticles, as areiprs'ented with the coningthe'upwardmovement of-thecarrier, or

. 'rb d dg rom e w-r c'e' e i ibyya suitablebrushsf Y I r l'n h instruction illustrated herein ineans. for thus discharging improperlyfpo-1 '.-s itioned articles from the recesses icomp'rlses .a rbrush lfi)having a sh'afti2l0 which ismountedi inf suitable'bracketsf2 1 in thestandards t e ppe ira die nt t i is h end'oi the hopper-. Thefshaft 20is driven The mechanism for 1 in ,anyilsuitable: manner as i by; :a;pulley. 22

actu tedfby a; suitable belt; (n tfsh n);

,'The jmechanism above describedmay be v and is similar to thatdisclosed; in my. prior applications aforesaid.

ing of the :recesses: of the traveling carrier comprises a spreaderhaving means to engage "ed upon'thei shait; 128; f

sprocket gear-3O is secured,

1 37 i unningover a pull ti tjopp si et nd ola; u ble @9 39. ,1 The-'pul1ey-;38 is andgradually drag articles from the mass of articles andmeans for actuating the spreaderin suchamanner as to'cause it to sweep;and distribute the articles dragged "'f rom the mass"; overthe'gassembling carrier in such manner as tovlfill substantially all therecesses therein 'In thepreferred construc- 1110.111 il ust ate h e n;th .i. -sp j e "me 1 'nism comprises a;;frame consistingjof reverselycurved members 23 and 2 4, which are pivotally mounted at" one end upona shaft 25 which is journaled'insuitable'bearings 26 in standards 27Which are mounted upon the side members 2 and'girdersfi of the hoppersupport g f am Thepi otellyis pp t ends (of the? frame members j23 and2d,;are i y e a a d; h o t d es c i el prpx mity; to the;,sldes'io gheifhbpp-er 6 r. whi1e-the opposite"endsofthe ale-1111 1 23 and Y24 v er wly spaced ap rt-e mounted upo r connected'to'iashaft 28 1 n2 mb n e 10 pfsicktxnhee :30 which 1s secured QtQ'f; th, ta tra portion of theshaft 25 T'and'upo" a complementary sprocket Wheel31'whic e i fxpre eblades io'f'rubber or other "suitable some; vWhat flexible material,"are'gsecured entrally Q to the pf ket h m 29 a Sui a y sp d v:Ari i. .li em a 511th" as a pr iket' i a dext dl u wa d i her r m i'Anys i ble"men'smw b 'p o i gfor actuating the sprocket ohain2 9j illiisf i TOOtrated ,hereinfthe shaftg25 1 W hichthe pr ded' at one; end with a" gear33 'whi'ch1sgdriven by apinion34iupon his haft 2010f the fbrushli.

Preferably the free end "of the spreader 'frame yieldably supported-topermit the spreader" to accommodate itself to the fdep'th of the mass ofar ticles injithe hopper. a'

In the preferred;construction illustrated a yoke 35 is pivotally:connected atjits'gends {to the shaft *28 ,at' I the end f of I thespreader frame and is provided at, its} central portion with'aslide' 36which is connectedto a cable seam s mest rs pu leyuoc 40; which;

7 ,rigid support; Mme it r .p'risessa d ge avinslehea y inverted ru-shped 'bf lr,v A3 n connected to the cable 3 7; Byreason ofthisconstruction additional: weights f tt; having oppositely disposednotches; to j engage the legslofothe U-shaped lZpmaybe -remQY- ablysi'perimposeduponbase of the fZQllD-;

, tel-weight" "By increasing 'or decreasing I 'tveight'of thecounterweight meyibereedhy new "The shaft of theseteedjer isddedtedslide by gravity back ihto tl'le ma'ss Offill'lti'CflS kit the loweiendfof the hoppeit. In order to at suehdistence above the iipfiex" meatime efthefassembling carrier thredghoht afiftithele qrjal polqtio'n ofthe length "ofthe I s" 'jreztdefr frame. By yielda bl y suppertihg theTee end at thefspreader frame, however, the preader tfibutethe article'sthete'frm over "the eesjembling carrier. The spreader willjtlso eerveltedisplace suchafticles 'es eie imp-repis deemed as new by Ltteif'sPetenhis'z erly pbsitioned upo'ri the zts'semblingeari'ier move them uwardly and laterally sufficiently to present themte unfilled reeesse'sih the carrier, therebyins'uring a more complete filliiigef allthe-recesses in the carrier; v

Inasmuch as" the meter blades are c011- heated to the s'precket chainoiilyt at their central poitions, guideipletes desiiably andeervetosuppeft the bladee'vvhflemev ihg along th upperdlead of thesprocket Chain. The centiali connection Of11y"ofthe ereade'rs to thesprocket ehein 'perihlts S ight vibration of the f'sprfeader blades} asthey pass along the uppeflead of the eesemfiling carrier which moreeffectively disbeyond the ends of the s reader blades, 'Bie depoeitedupon the bottom of the hopper and facilitate the fillihg (if the hopper;means erejpfovided fer swinging the freeend 6f the spreader up ardlyto'igive emplejspeee fer dimpingerticles into' the hb 'perj. In thepresent invention this is eeeom plished by providingthe base of thecounterweight 39 with Ehodk 46 adapted; when the ceu ter- "wei ht ispulled "down; to be engaged by an 1 Jeep er'eye 47 m u ted upen the'stailda'rdl the frame;

It the peration at the device, therefbre, the Spreader blades ere'ceueedto -fiibfi e over the assembling carrier and apertie of the mass 'ofwhales in thejheppet iii the smile directien as "the direction bf movfn'eht off the-assembling c rrier; hilt at arelativel gieatef speed},-thereby distributing the tifti'el'e ever the entire Widtli'of theendless earlier and practically insuring the filling "Of dllfthere'ces'ses of the assembling carrier. The preadetel so serves todislodge articles which are improperl 1$Ositie1iedinthe= redistributedep them iir'urifillediecessesi'' Such 'a rti'clesf. as are netdepesited preperlyu-e the ree'e'sse's Off the aseembl ihgrearrier arthrew'l i back by thetbrush 19 irito thefiel dief opei eition 0f theepr'eeder; thereby t ither-aneuring' their re' er" distrihutien by-jthesprea e end th -merecomplete fihingetthe eee ee embodiment oftheinventien diselosed h re in is of ethillustretive ehetrec'ter; thatother e =for'1'ns 0 f eesemblingeerrier lfiity be 6111 "pleyedgend; thatverifies ehangeein ei-ing1 crinstru'ctien, and arrangement t parts maybemade within the spiritand spopeeof the "following eleime p0siti0neOfi1pi'isii1g an inelin'e'd hopper having 21 bottom; side gwztlls arida; transverse Wall" at: its l wer end to; receive ia; compziet mess of;said small articles piisifig I a; "travelingassembling Carrier provjidedwith 'mean's to engage end""remove I from themasjs and eyveep anddistributethe T00 ame over sa d "assembling fearrii, sand nieaiisfofiyieldebly supporting-said 'sprea'd te petm it it to acco modateitself :to the vary ng "depth of the mtS ,of arti eles ih the 2. '1 A'machi e fer smelj l articlfes predetermined closely eryenge ji xta o-isitirm comprising an: inclined hopper having 1 bottom, side wellsend ettrensx ere e walljat its lower end to e'eeive-e qejompact 'mass 'of eeidsmell articles saidbettomeoniPriing' V a; traveling eeee iin errierhaving-closely V juxtapos'edj recesses each ripreeeilting' a ieo'nt'o irsubstantiall je'ompleinenta rytoiene 6f V the fates ofseidierticles-axid bp'era'ble t6 5 "ceiveeand remote" from the mass ofarticle'in aid spreader to cause it: graduallyto drag the artieles fromthemes and sweep-andthe same "OV1' :S3;id" assembling" carrier;

artiele'skhavin'g opposite Ifeees off difierent eontour in predeterminedclo'sely arranged juxtepositien comprising an ihclinedho per I having abottom; side wullsend e tra-nverse "3 Wa11 at. .t 1- Qv d. oi receive apamper mass fsa i ma ti les, idfbette lwmr pr ing iagtravel ng emb ingcarrier bay-- 1 ingi lo ely j t p sed c s es ea h Pre en ing, a contoursubstantially complementary-- to one:offthe facesjotsaidarticles andoper able to receive and remove; from thej mass .of- ;-arti,clesin;vthejhopper only such articles I as wholly enter said recesses, aspreader comprising a traveling zendless member mount 7 "edabovefand insubstantial parallelism with 'said assembling carrier and provided vwith I means to; engage the mass f .articl es insaid, hcpper-,"i nd;m asforct atmg sa J Pr, a l-' er to causethearticle ngagingmeans there.-

J .ofi tosweep' along-ith'e travelingvassembling flexible {curvedspreading blades] to engage carrier in the same direction but at a ,rela

juxtaposed recesses each presentingaacontour substantially complementaryI to; one

of, the faces Eofjsaid articles and operable to ireceivelgand' v-remove;fromfthe fmassl of 1 articles in the hopper only such articles as Vwhollyfentersaid recesses, a spreadencomr prising ;a traveling endlessmember-Y mounted :flbOVG; and in substantial vparallelisrn with saidassembling carrierand provided; with I i the mass :015 articles in saidhopper, means ier yactuatinggsaid {spreader} to cause thearticle.-engaging means? thereof to sweep along the traveling.assembling carrier in the same direction :butat a relativelygreatpendless assembling carrier providedqwith; V

a multiplicity of closely; adj acent srecesses 7 7 er; speed and meansfor yieldably support- Zing isaidispreader tol-permit it toaccommjodate:itself: to: the varying depthiof 1 the mass I ITofsarticleszin-thehoppers j Z5;--A?machine {ffOI' assembling smallarticles cinip'redeterminedlclosely arranged juxtaposition, comprisingan inclined. hopper: having a bottom; side walls anda transverse; wall,atsitsslower; end; to receive! a: compact' ;mass;

' fOfFSllid'; small;.articles,"said 1b0tt0m comp'risj 1; ing the 1upper: lead of a traveling- ;endless 1 assembling carrien provided: with:means to 1 engage and remove from amass ofjart'icles in {said hopper mysuch as -;ar e presented there'to 5:- in a -predetermined -position,- pa

' "spreader comprising-11a: FframeQpiVOtally r V mounted 'atTone endwithin said hOppIerIadja v 6' centbthe:discharge end-thereof above-landnormally extending in substantial parallel- V ismwithFs'ai'dassemblingxcarrier, a flexible endless memberllmountedupon said 'iframef'lhavingcflexiblebladesiextending transversely ot" ;said carrier i toengage said assembling carriervand alsoathe ,mass oi 'artielesin-saidbeeper n i s j siac a saidi e ie v ble' endless" member toca use thearticle- Iiigaging means thereof to sweep, along nd" C a n:v

- d stri t ar c es e p-th me s ng t ma i.

. as emb i g sm lza ti pred r i lo e yi lhg d 3 18- I tapositiqn;c0mprising. ;an;liifclined; hopper ha i a Q Qmh ans t an erse wal et l wend o.- 'r ;e T T' o fp ct mass of said small articlesisaid bottom coni-M prisingthe upper .lead of a travel'ing endlessa embl ng a r e "Providd w l -ans V engage }and ,remove. individually f omja *m spf e' e nSaid. ho per n js ldhfaf are. presented thereto v in predetermined 7 1osition as reader com risin 'a frame ivy tally. mountediat ,one end.within said: hop,-

'per; radjacent the discharge endgil th'er'eof i above andrnormallyextending in substan- {8i tial parallelism with said assemblinggcanrier, a flexible gendless member s mounted up;

on said" ;frame; having flexible T spreading blades-t0 engage saidassembling'barrierand 1 also, the" mass of; articles in said lh opper,

means for a ctuating,;said" fiexi blegendless nemben i'tojcau seathe;-sprea ding blades i to V p ldng s i ssemblin i t hd d sk 'tributeiarticles fromithejinass over thefsame,

f and means for y-ieldably supp0rting :a' portion of lithe weight dfthe7 free end of said frame 50; permit the spreading blades efiectively toengage the. surface, of "th articles in the hopper,

a ed r 7. Atmjachine for;

tiles in predetermined closelyarranged: juxtaposition -.comp risingj aninclined hopper 1 ,having;ia bottom,"side wallsandf 'aYtrans- I v i versWa a 1 ts we n Q e e ve a cqm- {pat mass of said smallarticlesysaidfbottom 1310 5 comprisingthe upperJlead: of ,a traveling:7-

;to engageifand removeindividually-,gfromi a I ;.mass of articles insaid hopperfonly such-as are presented, theretoj a predetermined P i n;spr e c mpr i g a frame D o'tally meunted at one end-within said hopper,adjacentlthe; discharge thereof above and normally extendingiinsubstantial; parsembling carrier and distribute articlestrom thejmas'sover'th'e' same, -a cable. connected to the freeend of theqframepassingover a guide =pulley located "at --a,dist ance abovesaijd'fhopper; a counterweight upon the 0piposite end of; s aidi-cabla'and' means for varying :the weight of said-counterweight, a

8 .machinej' for assembling small arti 1l30 cles in predeterminedclosely arranged juxtaposition comprising an inclined hopper having abottom, side walls and a transverse wall at its lower end to receive acompact mass of said small articles, said bottom comprising'the'upperlead of a traveling endless assembling carrier provided'with means toengage and remove from a mass of articles in said hopper only such asare presented thereto in a predetermined-position,

' a spreader comprising a frame pivotally mounted at one end within saidhopper adjacent the discharge endwthereof above,

and normally extending in substantial parallelism with said assemblingcarrier, a flexible endless member mounted upon said frame havingflexible spreading blades to engage said assembling carrier and also themass of articles insaid hopper, means for actuating said flexibleendless member to cause the spreading blades to sweep along. the endlesscarrier and distribute articles from the mass over the same, a cableconnected to the free end of the frame passing over a guide pulleylocated at a distance above said hopper, a counterweight upon theopposite end of said cable, and means forsecuring sald counterweight n alowered position to retain the free end of the spreader above the hopperand thereby facilitate introduction of articles intothe hopper.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this s ecification.

F RREST G. PURINTON.

